GEORGE KOLLIAS (GR)

Born in Korinthos/Greece in August 1977, George got his first drum set at the age of 12 having already a 2-year background in music as a guitar player.

His first drum studies started in 1990 with Vasilis Baxevanakis and he continued later on with the Greek jazz master Yannis Stavropoulos.He got his first band together in late 1990 under the name Extremity Obsession performing several local shows and recording 2 official demos, with George doing also the duties of the lead singer and music co-writer.A few years later, George moved to Athens to join Nightfall and recorded 2 albums with them; I Am Jesus and Lyssa – Rural Gods And Astonish Punishments. He also formed his extreme metal band Sickening Horror and recorded their first Promo-cd and their debut album When Landscapes Bled Backwards. Playing with Nightfall and Sickening Horror, George started getting the attention of drummers around the world gaining a very strong fanbase and at the same time his several studio and live Session work for other bands helped him to establish his name as a multi-style drummer.In August 2004 George joined Nile and moved to United States to start working on the band’s new album Annihilation Of The Wicked which was recorded 2 months later. Right after that George kicks off for his first World Tour visiting and performing in many countries around the world, including most of Europe’s biggest Metal Festivals such is Wacken Open Air, Graspop Metal Meeting, Hellfest etc. as well as Japan’s Loudpark and the legendary Ozzfest in the US. His work with Nile also includes the albums Ithyphallic in 2007, Those Whom the Gods Detest in 2009, At the Gate of Sethu in 2012 and What Should Not Be Unearthed in 2015, with George leaving a big impact in the band and establish his name as one of today’s top metal drummers.bio 2His passion about drums quickly led him to get involved with Drum Clinics and Workshops around the world, as well as become a part of the LAB Music Education in Greece and Modern Music School in Germany/USA as a Drum Educator. He has perform individual Drum Clinics and Workshops around the world, as well as some of the biggest Drum Festivals such is The London Drum Show, Australia’s Ultimate Drummers Weekend, Adams Drumfest, International Percussion Festival and many more. He has also done several Drum Clinic Tours in Europe – Australia and Japan, took part as a main performer in big Expo Shows like Frankfurt’s Musikmesse in Germany or Palm Expo in Mumbai-India and took part in big Drum Camps like the Sick Drummer Camp and Thomas Lang’s Big Drum Bonanza as well as organised his personal George Kollias Drum Camp in many cities in Europe, Australia and United States.George’s 2 DVDs Intense Metal Drumming and Intense Metal Drumming II were released in the summer of 2008 and fall of 2012 getting incredible reviews and feedback from the press and the drum community around the world. With these 2 DVDs George reveals his skills as an Instructor while at the same time he launches his official Online Premium Lessons through his website with big success and takes part in other online lesson websites as well as in Apps such is Drum Guru from Hudson Music. In 2013 George announces his first Book which comes out as a Trilogy under the name The Odyssey Of Double Bass Drumming; the first part “The Beginning” debuts in 2014 opening the road for the next 2 books and getting the Double Bass education to the next level.In 2015 George released his first solo album under the name George Kollias – Invictus, showing a different side of his musicianship with him writing all the music/lyrics and performing all the instruments and vocals alone. The album came out as a big surprise to the metal world, receiving incredible reviews and getting many metal fans to follow his solo project work.George is endorsed by Pearl, Sabian, Vic Firth, Evans, Axis, SKB, Direct Sound, Serial Drummer Clothing and D’Addario. His official products includes his Vic Firth SGK Signature sticks as well as his Axis George Kollias Special Edition pedals.